THOMAS R. OWEN. - Thomas R. Owen, who has been a resident of Springfield since 1883, was born December 20, 1844, near Owensburg, Indiana, which place was named in honor of his father. IN the paternal line he is of Welsh descent. Representatives of the Owen family removed from New York to Indiana and became pioneer settlers there. One of the maternal great-grandfathers, Hoel S. Daudy, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. In the paternal line Mr. Owen is also descended from the Crook family of Kentucky, likewise represented in the patriot army in the war for independence. In the maternal line Mr. Owen is of Irish ancestry and on both sides he comes of families noted for longevity. There were also Protestants in religious faith and were abolitionists from an early date. Mrs. Mary Edmondson, an aunt of Thomas R. Owen, is still living in Indiana, at the age of more than seventy years. Her first husband, Mr. Gile, lost his life at the time of Morgan's raid through Indiana.

Sidney Owen, father of our subject, was born in Indiana in 1820 and died in Beardstown, Illinois, in 1874. His wife, Cynthia Farrell, was born in Kentucky in 1821, but was married in Indiana, and died at the home of her son Thomas, July 2, 1900, her remains being interred in Oak Ridge cemetery. In the family were three sons and five daughters, all born in Indiana with one exception - Eldorado Beaty. She was born in Illinois and died in Texas in 1902, at the age of forty-six years, and left two children, Charles J., born in 1847, died in January, 1900, at the age of fifty-three years. Five of the family died in early childhood.

In his boyhood Thomas R. Owen attended the district schools and later was a student in Hedding and Abingdon Colleges, where he pursued the scientific course. He lived in Abingdon, Illinois, from 1854 until 1865, and then engaged in farming for four years. On the 10th of July, 1861, he enlisted in response to the first call for troops, but as the Illinois quota was filled the entire company went to Missouri and served with the Ninth Missouri Infantry. Later he was a drummer boy with Company A, Fifty-ninth Illinois Infantry and in 1864 he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war with the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry. During his term he was continuously at the front and in the second period he was doing guard duty and was disabled from exposure. When the quota was called from Illinois his regiment was changed to the Fifty-ninth Illinois, ceasing to be the Ninth Missouri, for its members were all from the former state. In October, 1865, he received an honorable discharge. Mr. Owen then returned to his home in Abingdon, Illinois, but soon afterward removed to Adams county, this state, where he engaged in farming for four years.

He was married at Camp Point, that county, in March, 1866, to Margaret Kline, who was born in Pennsylvania. Unto him and his wife have been born three children: Sidney, who has been in the employ of the Illinois Watch Company for fifteen years, married Miss Nellie Dobbins, Leafy May is the wife of C. F. Morrow, city clerk, and they had four children, Mildred is deceased. The others are Ruth Marie, Harold Owen and Clyde Thomas. Charles Leavitt is a graduate of the Chicago School of Ophthalmology and is in the employ of the gas company here in Springfield. He married Miss Emma Carstens, of Pekin, Illinois. All of the children have been students in the high school of Springfield and the two sons served in the Spanish-American war, Sidney being a member of the Second Illinois Regiment, which went to Cuba, while C. Leavitt was with the Sixth Illinois in Porto Rico. After his marriage Mr. Owen went to Galesburg, Illinois, where he and his father conducted a hotel. Later he went to Beardstown and with his brother C. Judson conducted a railroad eating house. In 1883 he came to Springfield and accepted a position in the jeweling and finishing department of the watch factory and for ten years he was a member of the Watch Factory band. He then opened a restaurant, but after three years sold out on account of ill health. In 1899 he was elected city treasurer for a term of two years, and in 1901 was elected city clerk, his term expiring May 1, 1903.

Mr. Owen is a self-made man and whatever he possesses has been acquired entirely through his own efforts. He built a modern home at No. 509 North Grand avenue, in which he is now living with his family. He belongs to Stephenson Post, No. 30, G.A.R., has served as junior vice commander, and is a member of the Twenty-second Regiment of the Union Veterans Union. He became a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Camp Point and the encampment at Medora, Illinois, and in the former place joined the Masonic fraternity in 1868, but is now affiliated with the lodge at Medora. He is a charter member of Capital Camp, No. 33, M.W.A., belongs to the Arion Club and is a supporter of the Republican party. He belongs to the Mercantile Club, the Illinois Society of Pioneers and is corresponding secretary of the Illinois Park Association. In public affairs he is progressive and helpful and is numbered among the respected and valued citizens of Springfield.